


When I’m scared I won’t get through, I know I’ll find the good things too

by Rileyisawattflower



Category: The Prom (2020), The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: Doctor Alyssa Greene haha, F/F, Lesbian Emma Nolan (The Prom Musical), angie being my favourite character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:48:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28813674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rileyisawattflower/pseuds/Rileyisawattflower
Summary: My longest fanfic yet (sorry)After a fire at the ambassador theatre, Emma becomes increasingly concerned that Angie may not survive.Meanwhile, Alyssa is the doctor fighting to save her life.(THE ENDING IS HAPPY, I PROMISE YOU)- a few years on from the events of the musical, Angie is playing Roxie Hart full time, Alyssa became a doctor and Emma is a waitress, waiting for a reply from a music school which she applied to teach at -(Title taken from the finale of we are the tigers)
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	1. In the beginning...

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this!  
> There is a mention of injury and a lot of scenes in a hospital, so if you wouldn’t want to read any of that, I suggest not reading this.  
> The title is 100% taken from the finale of we are the tigers (thanks Preston Max Allen for writing such an amazing and titleable musical)
> 
> Thanks to Isabella Abe for the support on this and all other projects I’ve worked on, you’ve been amazing! :)  
> And thanks to everyone who’s read and left kudos on my work! It means a lot!
> 
> Alright, here it is!

Emma closed the door behind her and ran to her car, Alyssa already waiting inside.  
The rain poured down, drumming on the roof like a million tiny people running around above them.  
Alyssa rested her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder and smiled, watching the raindrops roll down the windscreen.  
Emma took the wheel and drove, turning her head and smiling back at the tall woman bedside her.  
Alyssa Greene was simply stunning, her hair tied up, resting perfectly on her shoulder, her deep brown eyes shining as they stared lovingly into hers.

Emma drove slowly down the road, watching the world fly by past her car window. She never thought she’d move to New York, but she did. Her and Alyssa decided to after finally moving in together, it was mostly the fault of Barry Glickman, who spent hours trying to convince the couple to move there.  
Eventually they gave in, and now there they were, driving down the streets of New York together.  
Eventually, the car stopped outside of a large hospital. Alyssa’s mother had tried to convince her to become a Doctor throughout most of her life, and while Alyssa didn’t really want to give in, she liked the idea of helping people for a living.  
That’s the sort of person she was, and something Emma never stopped loving about her.  
She went to step out of the car and was tugged back, Emma pulled her close and kissed her, letting her girlfriend know she loved her for the thousandth time that day, Alyssa held on to her for a moment, looking deeply into her girlfriend’s pale blue eyes, with the hint of faded green that makes them so mesmerising to look into, Emma’s gold rimmed glasses slipped down her nose slightly and Alyssa pushed them back up and smiled sweetly.  
The tall, short haired girl waved and watched her girlfriend leave, she waved back before turning and entering the building where she worked.  
Emma sighed and stared out of the window, it was no longer raining and Alyssa was gone, fixing her hands back onto the wheel and driving away, stopping once to look back to where her girlfriend once was.  
She set off again and headed toward the café where she herself worked, feeling alone once again.  
Once she had arrived, she stepped out and grabbed her bag, locking the car and hurrying inside.  
The warm air hit her face as she entered, and she smelt the scent of whatever special they were serving today, she’d find out when she got closer to the kitchen.  
“Emma!” A voice called from behind her, she turned to face Angie Dickinson, the ex chorus girl had finally been offered the role of Roxie Hart and occasionally came into the small café before or after the shows. Since the woman’s high school prom, Angie had never lost contact with her or her girlfriend, it was nice, Emma had always liked Angie and how caring she was. Even now she still checked on her every now and then and it was great that the two were still close.  
“Hi Angie! How are you?” Emma replied cheerfully  
“I’m great! The audiences seem to like me as Roxie and I’ve never been happier in the job, seeing as I did consider quitting a few years ago”  
She laughed, her laugh was light and cheery, a comforting, somehow familiar sound that rung through the room like an echo.  
Emma laughed along and replied “I do seem to remeber that, Angie”  
The pair smiled and realised that they both had to work, so Angie dashed out of the door and Emma toward the kitchen, knowing they actually had to do their jobs instead of standing around talking.

“Morning Emma!” multiple voices overlapped as the waitress stepped inside, she grabbed her apron and threw it on, taking a tray of drinks over to a table almost immediately.  
She didn’t really like her job, she’d rather be doing something else, but for now, waitressing at a small café just off-Broadway would do, it was a nice small place, everyone was pretty nice and there was only the occasional problem customer that Emma didn’t usually have to deal with. So, in general things were okay. She was switching between tables on an unusually busy day, but nothing new. She stepped into the staff toilets and opened her phone  
1 message: Alyssa  
Hey Em, I’m doing a night shift tonight so I’ll probably be home tomorrow morning. So sorry this was last minute. I love you so much x 💕  
She smiled and sighed, Emma was used to this, last minute night shifts, staying later than planned, being alone. It’s just what came with Alyssa’s job.  
It made her feel bad in a way, she was over here giving a man a coffee while Alyssa was probably saving someone’s life or something...she thought about what to say and quickly replied  
‘That’s fine love, I’ll see you when you get home. I love you too lyss x 💕’  
“EMMA? Are you in there? We’ve got a woman at table ten complaining about the wait and no one to serve her, can you hurry up?” Her boss stood outside the door and she quickly put her phone away and opened the door.  
“Sure...”  
“Thanks Emma...”


	2. Memories and Emergencies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyssa meets an old friend and gets called to a code orange (mass casualty incident)

Alyssa walked hurriedly down the corridor, reading files as she went, she dropped a folder and bent down to pick it up, tripping over a nurse who was behind her.  
“Sorry! Sorry...” she called, hoping the woman was okay and would forgive her.  
“That’s fine, bye Alyssa” she yelled as she continued jogging towards ward 3.  
“Alyssa? Have you read those? We need you to see her now” Dr. Jenkins gasped, out of breath from running towards her  
“Yep, thanks, I’m heading there now”  
She stood up and quickly made her way to the room she had been asked to go to, where she was met by a woman she didn’t know, a paramedic she thought.

“Hi, this is Dr. Greene, she’ll be the one continuing the care today, okay?” The girl in front of her nodded, Alyssa already had a vague idea of what had happened, nothing severe, just a 13 year old with a suspected broken leg.  
“Okay, you are...” Alyssa attempted to remember the girl’s name “...Lara? Right?” the girl nodded again and the doctor was thankful that she’d got it right.  
“I suggest we get you into X-Ray as soon as we can and we can get an idea of what actually happened here, alright?”  
“Okay” Lara replied, Alyssa began to question where this child’s parents were, until someone walked in...  
“Hi! Sorry, I’m her mother, I was just grabbing some water- Alyssa?”   
Alyssa turned around, suprised to see a woman who looked exactly like Shelby, the one she knew in high school.  
“Shelby?” She gasped, hesitantly, concerned that it might not be who she thought.  
Thinking about it, she had the same long blonde hair, grey-ish blue eyes, pale skin and she sounded so familiar?  
“Yep! It’s been a while, this is what you’ve done with your life then?” Shelby confirmed, Alyssa was just surprised   
“Um- yes, yes. What’ve you been doing recently?” It sounded like she didn’t care, but it was a start, so she let the question out.  
“Not much really, had a daughter, quit coaching a cheer team and spent a year with my fiancé”  
“You- you got engaged? When’s the wedding?” Alyssa was stunned, that came out of nowhere.  
“A month, we’ve just got to hope her injuries heal by then.” Shelby replied  
“What are you doing in New York anyway?” Alyssa continued  
“We’re spending the summer here, but then she tripped down the stairs at the hotel, so, we might be returning sooner than-“  
Shelby was interrupted by a tall, red haired woman walking in.  
“Ah! This is Dr. Tate, she’s a radiologist.”  
Dr. Tate escorted the two out of the room, towards the X-Ray facility, and left Alyssa alone, staring at the files.

There was a strange silence for a minute, and the doctor stared at the plain blue walls and glass doors of the room, there was a space left on the floor where the bed was, and equipment neatly pushed to the back of the space.  
Alyssa’s head was filling with thoughts, of her high school experience, of Shelby and Kaylee and Emma, what they did to her, and how they realised their mistakes somehow, because Trent Oliver sung to them in a mall-  
It was strange really, Alyssa sat down on one of those uncomfortable green hospital chairs and sighed, trying to clear her head.

All of a sudden, all hell broke loose, rooms were cleared, staff running around like they were running a marathon. Lights flashed and people yelled, Alyssa got up to see what was going on, when the glass doors slid open “code orange, Alyssa, CODE ORANGE.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma finds out about an incident at the ambassador theatre, as the stage bursts into flame, is Angie okay?

Emma finally had her break, she went back to the small room at the back of the café where most of the staff took their breaks.  
Her phone buzzed, it was Angie. Before Emma had time to read the message, her phone rang, it was Angie again.  
“Hi!” She picked up the phone  
“Emma! Hi! Sorry to bother you but I can’t really leave, we just got the five minute call and I think left my bag on the table I was at earlier? I kind of need it. Can you drop it off when you get a chance?” She laughed lightly as if she had just realised how forgetful she’d been.  
Emma noticed the tables getting full, and her colleagues trying to keep up with the high demands of those seated, she realised she needed to help, and would take her break later.  
“So, we’re quite busy at the moment but I’ll try and get it to you in a bit.” Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a pile of lost items, sitting atop the scarves and phones and purses, lay a bag, a small leather bag that she assumed belonged to Angie. It had the word ‘zazz’ in sparkly writing across the top. Emma immediately knew that was hers, of course it was.  
“Got it, I’ll try and get that over later”  
Angie laughed again “that’s great, I’m so sorry Emma”   
The woman felt a smile spread across her face as she responded one last time and walked toward the door “bye Angie!”  
“Bye honey.”   
Emma smiled wider at the name, she hadn’t heard Angie call her that since her senior year of high school, and it felt good, to know they still had that family-like connection she was so sure she’d lost.

She slid her phone back into the pocket of her deep blue shirt and re-tied her apron, stepping out of the room and immediately taking a tray of cakes with the label ‘5’ on them, over to the table mentioned, at it sat a man and a woman, deep in a conversation Emma couldn’t hear. The woman who she had served smiled and said “can we get an extra tray? we’re just waiting on two other- oh Emma! Hello!” Emma turned around to notice who the woman was for the first time, Dee Dee Allen. The man sat across from her, the waitress’s former principal, Tom Hawkins.  
“Hi! Haven’t seen you in a while, of course, I’ll have that over soon.” She smiled back and walked away into the kitchen.  
“Another tray of the previous order for table 5!” She called and many voices thanked her at once. The rest of the afternoon went by a blur, in, out, in, out, table to table to kitchen to table. Nothing new.  
Until finally, time seemed to stop. A tall young man ran desperately into the warm café screaming, out of breath.  
Once he’d regained his breathing slightly he yelled “the ambassador, the theatre, its- it’s on fire...most people inside are still stuck in there.”

Emma thought she saw him faint before his words sank in and her heart stopped, the sounds of concern and panic from customers and Staff alike faded into silence, the once warm room now a freezing ice cold, her vision was blurred and she could only slightly make out the concerned faces of Dee Dee and Tom, who’d approached her. They motioned for her to sit down, she couldn’t, she felt sick and wanted to disappear.  
They pulled her down onto a chair behind her and she began to find it harder and harder to breathe. She’d attracted a worried crowd at this point, and she thought she saw Dee Dee shove them out of the way, she didn’t care, she didn’t know what to think, or do, or say. She just couldn’t think, this had to be a lie, everyone had to be fine, they had to be...right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Writers note)  
> So sorry to those two people who wanted, presumably happier than this, Angie and Emma content, it might get better as this goes on? You’ll just have to see ;)


	4. Fire and fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fire part 2, basically.

She didn’t see what happened, just a burst of flame engulfing the stage. Angie Dickinson knew she had to run, but she was stuck, surrounded by the fire, nowhere to turn, she could see her fellow cast’s concern and fear, and she motioned for them to leave her, big mistake. Everything was red, and orange and the many colours of the flames surrounding the actor. Her head was pounding and the theatre began spinning, she blacked out. Her last thought being “shit, what’s going to happen to me, and- and to Emma...” she hit the floor, still thinking of the waitress and how she’d react when she heard the news of the fire, and what would happen if she died here, and left her behind.  
Angie tried to pull herself off of the stage floor, but she couldn’t, she was stuck and every tiny movement hurt, sending a wave of pain throughout her entire body, burning. She prayed she’d be okay, and a short call for a small favour wouldn’t be the last encounter she’d have with the young lesbian she treated like a daughter.

Meanwhile, Alyssa Greene was running down the corridor of the hospital, desperately searching for more information. She hated mass casualty incidents, she really did, the amount of people she couldn’t save hurt her everytime. She didn’t know what was in store for her today. As she ran out the front, ambulances surrounded the whole building like a thick, blue flashing, wall. A paramedic ran past her and was stopped   
“What’s going on?” She asked, the tall red-haired woman spun back around and called “fire at the ambassador theatre, during a show, most of the cast and audience are either dead or critical” she then ran back into her vehicle, ready to go pick up anyone else in need.  
Alyssa gasped and helped wheel a young man inside. As she entered the building again, her phone rang, there was no time, but she checked it, it was Dee Dee Allen?  
The two weren’t very close but still kept in contact after the prom. She’d called her four times before already!  
Alyssa thought nothing of it and hurried back inside, she couldn’t take a call when there were that many lives in danger, lives she needed to save.

Dee Dee was panicking now too. She had no idea of how to help Emma, Angie was probably dead, oh my god, Angie was probably dead. She gasped and leant her head on the shoulder of Tom Hawkins.   
“Emma? Emma? Are you okay?” Tom asked his ex-student, Emma didn’t respond, she was just staring into the distance, possibly crying, she didn’t know and didn’t care, Angie was probably dead, the woman who’d acted like a mother to her for so long, was probably dead and she couldn’t handle it, not right now.  
Dee Dee and Tom shared a worried look. “Alyssa.” Dee Dee said quickly. “I’ll call Alyssa.” her partner nodded, and she dug through her bag for her phone. Her heart pounded faster and faster as she searched for it “please say I didn’t leave it in the car” she thought as she finally pulled it out and found Alyssa’s contact.  
“Please pick up, please pick up, please pick up-“ she pleaded desperately.  
No answer.  
She called again,  
No answer.  
A third time,  
No answer.

Dee Dee just kept calling, but every time was the same, no answer.  
“Dee, I think she’s working at the moment, she’s a doctor I think, she’s probably incredibly busy, I’m sorry, we probably won’t reach her.”  
In the time it took for the actor to come to terms with that, Emma’s boss had crouched down beside the chair “Emma? Emma it’s Lee. Is everything okay?”  
Sirens rung out in the distance, and though relieving, the sound was deafening to Emma. She plunged her head down into her hands and started shaking, she couldn’t stop herself, she didn’t even know what was going on around her anymore. Her thoughts blocked out all speech from those attempting to help her, she felt powerless, just sat there, unknowing of what the future held for her and the mother-like Chicago star Emma was so concerned about.  
Dee Dee placed a hand on Emma’s shoulder and looked back at her partner, they shared a worried, defeated look before looking back and Emma and sighing. A tear rolled down the actor’s face as she thought about the pain Angie Dickinson could be going through in that very moment.

As they were assigned rooms, Alyssa and her colleagues entered theirs to see an unconscious Angie Dickinson lying critically injured on a bed.  
The other two doctors and a nurse immediately got to work, attempting to help the tall, defeated-looking woman in front of them.  
Usually, the doctor would be the first one in, trying to save the patient in Angie’s position, but today, seeing her there, all Alyssa had on her mind was Emma. She knew the mother-daughter like relationship the pair had and was shocked, a million thoughts flooded her mind and without thinking any further, she began directing everyone else around.  
“Dr. Greene, don’t you think-“ the nurse tried to interrupt.  
“No- do it, and do it quickly, this woman has to live. Has to.” The last words coming out as nothing but a broken whisper.  
The nurse nodded and he immediately took out the necessary equipment for the procedure Alyssa was instructing them to carry out.  
She stared on as this happened and tried her best not to cry, all she could think about was if Angie died, it was her fault, the pain she’d see her own girlfriend go through would be her fault. She passed equipment around and instructed her colleagues on what to do, voice shaking as she yelled.  
She was determined to keep the Chicago star alive, for Emma, for herself and for all who ever met Angie Dickinson. She wouldn’t stop until she was stable, no matter how long it took

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANKS FOR READING!  
> It gets happier, I promise haha


	5. Hope?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyssa catches a break and calls Emma, who is still concerned about Angie.  
> Will news from Dee Dee be good? Or will it bring pain...?

11:20, Alyssa finally gets a moment to rest, she calls Emma.  
“H-hello?” Emma picked up  
“Emma? Emma, it’s Alyssa.” Alyssa replied in a soft tone  
“Alyssa, hi.” She spoke in a blunt, tired voice.  
“Is- is everything okay? No, are you okay? You sound- I don’t know.”  
“I- um, yeah, I’m fine. Great. How- well, how are things going over there...” Emma stammered, trying to find the right words  
“Emma, babe, we’re doing everything we can. Things are going okay, apparently we’re doing our jobs right according to Dr. Joan-Johnson, and if she’s satisfied, then we’re doing well.” A pause, silence on the other end of the phone, broken by the question Alyssa knew she had to ask  
“Em, is something wrong?” No answer “Emma.” She said again.  
“I- Alyssa...” she was hesitant to answer  
“Go on babe, it’s okay.” Alyssa tried her best to reassure her girlfriend over the phone  
“I- I feel so bad. Specifically for Angie, I know I sound stupid and I’m worrying too much but-“ Alyssa thought she heard Emma begin to cry  
“Oh Em...I-“ she couldn’t bring herself to tell her how the woman was, or how she was the one trying to save her life. She didn’t know what it would do to Emma, and she just wanted her girlfriend to be okay, that’s all.  
“I- Emma...I-“ she stopped herself “she’ll be fine. I’m not the one who’s with her but I’ll try and ask the guy who is and see how she’s doing right now.” Alyssa bit her lip, she had to tell Emma the truth at some point, but now was not the time.  
“Yeah? Emma? You still there?” She smiled and sighed in relief when her girlfriend’s slightly calmer voice came back over the phone  
“Yeah. Thanks Lyss.”  
“I love you so much Em, never forget that, I’ll be home tonight by the way.”  
Emma sighed slowly and smiled “I love you too, babe.”  
Alyssa hesitated for a second and then finally put the phone down. Tears began streaming down her face as she stared at the older woman in the room. She stopped for a second as Dr. Warren ran out “she’s awake! She’s fine! She’s doing great, actually-“  
Alyssa smiled and looked over, she really was? The dark-haired woman sprung up of her seat, flung open the door and stared, bright eyed, at Angie Dickinson  
“Alyssa?” Angie beamed at her, Alyssa still shocked at the sight  
Alyssa laughed lightheartedly and said “Dr. Warren...WHAT DID YOU DO? Thank you so much you-“ she could sense Angie staring at her, possibly judgementally “Hi, Alyssa!” Angie chucked, smiling at the woman in front of her...

Emma looked down at her phone and almost threw it across the room, she’d called Angie five times, and texted her more and more everyday “hey, please say the fire thing wasn’t true-“  
“Oh my god- Angie please reply, please tell me you got out of there safe.”  
“hey, please say you are okay, please”  
“Angie?”  
“Shit. Angie? Oh my god”  
“Please be okay, please.”  
“Angie...please- please tell me you’re alive, please.”  
“No...god no. Angie? ANGIE PLEASE REPLY, PLEASE BE OKAY-“  
She felt humiliated by the fact she was like that. The amount of times she’d tried to contact the woman who...oh my god...could be- dead.

11:35- Emma’s ringtone echoed through the room  
“What?” She answered a call from Dee Dee  
“Emma, I don’t know if you heard but I’m on my way to come get you, Angie’s fine and awake so we’re going to see her”  
Emma practically leapt off of her maroon, soft couch  
“WHAT?” She shrieked, slightly higher pitched and louder than she expected, she took a deep breath and tried again “what? She’s- oh my god.”  
“Yep, she’s okay Emma...” Dee dee’s voice coming through soft and light, happier and less enthusiastic and more emotional then usual  
Emma gasped slowly and sighed happily, trying desperately not to cry again  
“We’re like...Tom...Tom where are we?” the Broadway star called, then whispered “we’re two streets away, apparently” Dee Dee said in response  
“Great- oh, remember to turn left, not right...”  
“Okay, got it, no! NO! WRONG- “ silence...  
“Dee Dee?” Emma called over the phone  
“Oh, sorry, we went the wrong way, we’re fine! We’re going the right way now!” She coughed and Emma envisioned her side-eyeing Mr. Hawkins and giving him a sarcastic smile  
“Oh- well done then” Emma laughed, seeing the shiny black car pull up in her driveway  
“You’re/we’re here!” Their voices overlapped as Emma grabbed her bag and keys, opened the door, and left.  
She stepped into the car and they headed toward the hospital.  
“Left! LEFT? TOM HAWKINS WHY ARE YOU TURNING RIGHT!” She yelled  
“BECAUSE IT’S THE RIGHT WAY, DEE DEE ALLEN-“ he yelled back  
Emma just laughed at the pair from the backseat “I hate to interrupt, Dee Dee, but...he’s right. I drive Alyssa to work sometimes and we turn right here...” she braced herself for a fiery reply  
“Ha!” Tom scoffed  
“Ugh-“ Dee Dee rolled her eyes, and then smiled at her partner, he smiled back and they eventually found their way to the tall building.  
The three jumped out of the car and almost ran to the doors, they sat down on some dark green chairs that lay outside of the entrance, staring at the long corridor in front of them.

Emma fiddled with the bracelet on her left wrist, the same one Alyssa gave to her in high school, they’d kept them all this time and still wore them to this day.  
Speaking of her, Alyssa walked briskly down from room 32, stopping at looking back, noticing her girlfriend.  
She smiled and immediately ran over to the waiting area she had seen her sitting in.  
“Emma?” She called out, peering her head around the door  
“Alyssa? Alyssa! Hi!” Emma was startled at the sight of her girlfriend standing in the doorway, slightly forgetting that she worked there.  
Alyssa walked up to the woman and threw her arms around her, Emma returning the gesture.  
“You can all come in, by the way, I’ll lead you round” Alyssa smiled and dragged Emma off of her chair, Dee Dee and Tom following behind them.

As they got to the door Alyssa knocked “Miss. Dickinson?”  
“Hi!” She called from behind the door, Emma’s heart lit up at the sound of Angie’s voice, she almost gasped and smiled at the trio beside her  
“We have some people here for you!” The doctor laughed  
“Well, what’s the wait for, bring them in!” Angie’s light, comforting voice rung out, as the door slid open.


	6. See you again.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angie’s alive!  
> (Off course she’s alive I like her too much to kill her)  
> But what will happen when she reunites with Emma and the truth about the hero who saved her life is revealed?

The star’s eyes drew wide and she clasped her hand to her mouth. Dee Dee gasped and grabbed her partner’s hand, Emma tried desperately to hold back the tears filling her eyes and the tall blonde motioned for the group to come in.  
The Broadway star and partner sat on one side, Emma on the other.  
Angie turned to Emma first, sitting up and cupping Emma’s face in her hands  
“Hey honey, how are you?”  
Emma burst into tears, smiling at the older woman, just happy she was alive.  
“Hey, hey, it’s okay! It’s okay! I’m here, I’m fine!” Angie smiled sweetly at the daughter-like woman in front of her, Emma looked up and into Angie’s dark blue eyes, she smiled at her and softly answered the first question “fine, how are you doing?” tears still filling her eyes at the sight of the woman who’d been like a mother to her for so long   
“I’m okay, actually. If it wasn’t for everything Alyssa here has done, I don’t think I’d be alive today.” She turned her head and gave Alyssa a bright smile, mouthing a thank you, before turning back to Emma.  
“Emma I- I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was the one who-“ Alyssa began rapidly apologising for hiding this from her girlfriend when Emma interrupted  
“Alyssa, thank you, thank you so much. Really, without you god knows what would have happened.” she tightened her grip on Angie’s hand and looked proudly at her girlfriend. Emma stared at her for a couple of seconds, before Alyssa ran straight over and kissed her, the couple shared the moment and Alyssa sat down beside the woman she loved, watching her and her mother-figure reunite after tragedy.

“Emma-“ Angie began “I want to let you know how much you mean to me. How you’ve been like the daughter I’ve always wanted and when I came so close to losing my life, my last thought was you, and the time I’ve had with you and- well, you’ve always felt like family to me, ever since I met you. I’ve said it many times before and I’ll say it again, you’re like a daughter to me, Emma.” Angie turned her body towards Emma slightly and threw her long arms around the woman’s shoulders. She leant forward, placing her arms carefully around Angie’s shoulders this time and whispered “you feel like a mother to me, Angie. Thank you.” Emma buried her head in the woman’s shoulder and Angie looked up and smiled   
“What did I do to deserve this?” She laughed quietly to Emma, and continued to hold her for what seemed like forever.

At this point, no one in the room wasn’t crying, even the junior doctor, who didn’t even know these people, who’d come in to write about Angie’s improvement on a sheet strapped to the wall. Everyone turned towards them, Dee Dee gave them an ice-cold glare that shook them into leaving the room “I- um...I should- uh- go.” They stammered before dashing out of the doors faster than lightning.  
The room erupted into laughter, and Angie had now let go of her (not quite) daughter, one hand still firmly holding hers, the other reaching out to Dee Dee, who turned and grabbed it, smiling at her long-time friend  
“God I’ve missed you Angie.”   
After a long conversation between the three, Dee Dee looked at her partner, looked at the time and decided she should leave.  
“Emma-“ Angie called out “can you- can you stay, for a bit?” She desperately gasped as the woman stood up to leave   
“I- of course...” she stuttered, beaming her (sort of) mother.  
“Emma, are you alright to get home? Y’know, seeing as we drove you here.” Tom asked quickly, whipping around to face the young lesbian   
“Good question...?” Emma laughed before being interrupted   
“My car’s here, I’ll drive us home, my shift ends early tonight!” Alyssa butted in, slipping an arm around her girlfriend’s shoulder   
“Okay! Great. Thanks!” Tom smiled as he left   
“Thanks for letting us see her...” Dee Dee thanked Dr. Greene before following her partner out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO!!! WOOO!  
> Thanks so much for reading all of this! I hope you like it so far!


	7. Forever.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale! With a surprise ending....  
>  Thanks for sticking with this through the pain, happiness, terrible writing and reuniting!

“How have you guys been recently?”  
“Okay.” Alyssa answered “I’ve been pretty busy here recently-“ she turned to her girlfriend “oh yeah, sorry I’ve not been home much Em”  
“It’s fine..” came Emma’s reply, as she leant her head on Alyssa’s shoulder   
“So as I said we haven’t been around each other much but...I have some stuff planned, which I need to talk to you about actually ang, but, I’ll leave that until later.”  
Angie looked confused, but smiled at the couple “okay!”  
“Oh, bad timing but...I got offered that job. Teaching guitar at that music store just around the corner from here...”  
Neither woman even knew she’d applied   
“What! You applied! That’s great! That’s amazing! Em, I’m so happy for you” Alyssa chimed in first, practically leaping at her girlfriend  
Angie was next to speak   
“Okay I had no idea about any of this but...congrats honey! You deserve this.” She smiled warmly at the woman and there was silence for a few seconds.  
After a while talking, and enjoying each other’s company  
Emma was sent out of the room for a minute, she didn’t know why and, to be completely honest, was utterly confused as to why Alyssa wanted her gone for a while.  
Meanwhile, inside, Alyssa had something to confess...  
“Angie...I wanted to tell you that- well...I’ve been thinking of proposing to Emma...”  
Alyssa’s soft, gentle voice washed over the woman, as Angie took in what Alyssa had told her   
“Alyssa…okay one, I can’t believe you told me this before actually doing it, I had no idea you trusted me that much-“  
“I’m going to stop you there…I’ve seen how you treat Emma like a daughter, you’re practically her mother. So, I thought I’d let you know before I did it, because, frankly, I’m terrified. I love her and I know she loves me but- but what if it backfires?”  
Alyssa’s voice was shaking and Angie put a hand on her shoulder  
“Alyssa Greene. Do it. Do it, do it, do it. I know how much you love her, I can tell how much you want to do this…and you need to. You two deserve a future together, and you deserve to be happy. Alyssa, you need to propose. And I know you can do it.” Angie’s words stabbed the woman in the heart, giving her the biggest burst of courage she’d ever had in her life. She thanked Angie and hugged her before leaving, hand in hand with Emma, who was completely unknowing of what the future held…

Two days later, Alyssa called her soon to be fiancé with good news  
“Alyssa?” Emma answered  
“Emma! So, good news, we’re discharging Angie today!”  
Emma’s heart lit up at the news of the actor’s recovery   
“That- that’s amazing! I’m- I’m so happy for her.”  
“Emma do you mind driving her home? She’s been advised to not drive for a couple months and Trent is- god knows where Trent is” Alyssa let out a light laugh and Emma smiled at the fact she’d get to be there with Angie when she finally got out of hospital.

Emma ended the call, jumped in her car and began driving down the road towards the hospital.  
She shamefully, but then again not, placed the   
She shamefully, but then again not, pressed a button and turned on the Chicago soundtrack, Angie had definitely got her obsessed with Chicago ever since she saw her Roxie debut some time ago. The building was only a short drive away, and as Emma pulled into the car park (in the last few seconds of the cell block tango) she recognised Trent’s car parked across from her’s  
“Funny? Alyssa said he wasn’t around?” She shrugged it off and got out of the car, she walked up to the front desk and said “Hi, I’m here to drive Angie Dickinson back home? She’s being discharged today.”   
The receptionist smiled “name?”  
“Emma Nolan”  
She nodded and gestured to the door, were Alyssa and Angie were stood.   
Angie gripped onto a crutch with one hand, the other on Alyssa’s arm as they walked toward Emma.  
The girl smiled at the two as the three wrapped their arms around each other, before heading toward the exit.

Angie had recovered and was finally returning home, with the company of the girl she loved like a daughter for so long.

Alyssa and her girlfriend walked her out, and just as they were about to get in the car, the tall doctor nodded at Angie, and she turned Emma back around, slipping an arm around her shoulder.

Emma was visibly confused as Alyssa took a breath and smiled, then, she began to kneel down and her girlfriend was still clearly confused.  
Emma looked at her and she laughed  
“Emma Nolan...I love you, I always have, you mean so much to me and now, right here, I found the moment to do this...” she paused and motioned for the girl to come closer, which she did.  
“Emma Nolan...will you marry me-“

A crowd of doctors and patients alike had gathered around Dr. Greene at this point, gasping at the heart-warming moment, at the front, Emma spied Trent Oliver, filming the whole thing.  
Tears of joy began streaming down Emma’s face as she ran to her car and pulled out a box, a box that contained a ring.  
She had planned to propose to Alyssa when they got home...  
It was Alyssa’s turn to start crying now, crystal clear tears slid down the women’s faces, as they ran at each other and Emma swept her now fiancé up in her arms, holding her tight and running her fingers through her curly hair, Angie’s eyes filled with tears too as she watched the couple sway slowly together, watched too by a large crowd, cheering and clapping them. At the front stood Dee Dee, Barry, Shelby and Elena Greene, Alyssa’s mother, smiling wide and cheering louder than everyone else assembled outside the tall building. The four went unnoticed as the couple lost themselves in each others arms...  
“I take that as a yes?” Alyssa laughed into her fiancé’s shoulder  
“Of course, my love, of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you liked this! I put a lot of effort into this and I’m actually quite proud of it!  
> Thanks again to Isabella Abe for all the support and just generally being amazing!  
> And thanks for reading!   
> Love, rileyisawattflower (rain)


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